Contents

Plot

A few days before Christmas, Marion is working on Thomas' Branch Line to help make room for a new warehouse on a disused siding, Marion starts singing "Deck the Halls" while her singing is interrupted by a strange voice coming from between the trees saying to Marion that she nearly hit him, causing Marion to race off in fright, she nearly hits Toby and Henrietta as she backed onto the junction again. Then she goes back onto the siding thinking she was just imagining the voice. She says that there is no such thing as a talking tree, but the voice tries to tell her that he isn't really a talking tree, but Marion still thinks that the tree can talk and says to it, that she won't bother him anymore, so she backs away, leaving the talking tree.

Later, Marion is working to clear more branches, but she decides to go back to the talking tree when she starts to not want to leave him alone, but the talking tree isn't as pleased to see Marion, so she tries to play "Guess What's in my Shovel." with him, but the answer is branches, but Marion decides to get back to work until she hears Thomas' whistle blowing as he puffs past Marion, in which the steam shovel shouts Thomas' name, but a bit too loud, in which she says his name quietly, but Thomas has already gone by, so Marion follows Thomas all the way to Maithwaite.

Marion finds Thomas at Maithwaite, and tries to tell him that she found a talking Christmas tree, but Annie and Clarabel laugh at this, Marion wants to show Thomas what she has found, but Thomas has no time to wait and puffs away. Then Toby puffs into the station, so Marion tells him that she saw a talking Christmas tree, but Henrietta already knew what Marion was talking about, then she and Toby start laughing, this upsets Marion as nobody believes her.

At Knapford, Thomas, Percy and Toby were talking about Marion, Percy asks Thomas did Marion really see a talking tree, but Thomas doesn't know and states that she is funny, but then Marion passes the station telling the three engines that she knows someone who will believe her, and that is the Fat Controller. Thomas' train isn't due for a while so he decides to go to the siding Marion was working earlier.

Thomas' driver and fireman clear away the branches and behind the trees, is revealed to be the old "Coffeepot" engine which use to work on Thomas' Branch Line, before Thomas did himself, he also says that he was on a siding near Ffarquhar last time he saw him, then the Coffeepot engine tells Thomas that he was shunted to different sidings and was forgotten about, but Thomas himself has forgotten about him. The engine then tells Thomas that his name is Glynn, who guesses Thomas' name after that, he asks Thomas how is he getting on, on his old branch line, which Thomas states that he is doing fine, then Percy arrives and Thomas introduces the saddletank to Glynn, then Percy tells the two engines that Marion is heading towards them with the Fat Controller, which quickly worries Glynn, as to the fact that he'd probably have to be moved again, and probably to the Scrapyard, but Thomas and Percy say to Glynn that he can't.

Meanwhile, Marion is racing along the line towards the siding she was on previously with the Fat Controller onboard, but when she arrives back at the siding, she notices that the talking tree has gone, which makes the Fat Controller suggest that the tree can walk, as well as talk, which excites Marion even more.

Thomas shunts Glynn into a shed at Knapford Yards, so he can be safe from the Fat Controller, Glynn thanks the two engines for their help, but also tells them that they don't have to do this to him, as the Fat Controller will find him eventually and then, but Glynn doesn't say anything after that as Thomas and Percy look at each other worriedly.

That night, at Tidmouth Sheds, Thomas and Percy are talking about Glynn hoping that he doesn't get scrapped, Thomas thinks of how can an engine as old as Glynn be useful, then Percy suggests that Stephen is more older than Glynn and he still works up at Ulfstead Castle, this gives Thomas an idea.

The next morning, Thomas brings the Earl to Glynn at Knapford Yards, the Earl thinks that Glynn is a very special engine indeed. Later, Glynn is taken to the Sodor Steamworks to be restored, but as Thomas and Percy watch Glynn be repaired, they hear the Fat Controller walking into the Steamworks, Glynn quickly worries, as the Fat Controller stands in front of the three engines. Thomas asks how did he know that they were there, then the Fat Controller explained that the Earl kindly asked him if Glynn could be restored and he says that, that is a splendid idea, and that he's only sorry he hadn't thought of it himself. Percy then asks him if Glynn will be scrapped then, in which the Fat Controller tells him that he won't be scrapped, then he turns to Glynn saying that once he has been restored and ready, he can take him to the Earl's Christmas party up at Ulfstead Castle, Glynn becomes excited and tells him that it's just like old times.

On Christmas Eve night, Glynn takes the Fat Controller to Ulfstead Castle, the Fat Controller says to Glynn that he looks as splendid as the day he built him, Glynn feels happy to hear, as he puffs into the estate, he sees Marion, the engine who found him, she says to Glynn that he didn't recognize him from under all of the decorations, Glynn stops at the platform, the Earl welcomes Glynn to Ulfstead Castle and thanks Thomas for saving his Christmas Coffeepot and then the Earl announces that another engine working at the castle is the best present he has been waiting for, which makes Stephen not happy. The Earl then says "Merry Christmas!" to the engines, and the engines call back as they blow their whistles happily.

Locations

Trivia

Marion sings the song "Deck the Halls" at the beginning. This song later plays when Thomas finds Glynn.

When the Earl says "Another engine working here at the castle is the best present I could have wished for!", Stephen is seen frowning and looking concerned. This foreshadows his jealousy over Glynn in Over the Hill.